Master and Commander
by Lena86
Summary: Set during the Sound of Drums. I loved that episode, as well as the Last of the Time Lords. This, however, bypasses the second episode of the two-parter, picking up just after the activation of the Paradox machine. Ten/Rose
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: Although it's set in and around the same episode as my other Last of the Time Lords fic, _You Are Not Alone_, this isn't related. Neither is it replacing it. I'll be updating _You Are Not Alone_ very soon but this got stuck in my head and wouldn't go away unti it was written._

* * *

'Shall we decimate them?' the Master asked Lucy. 'That sounds good. Nice word—decimate.' He raised his voice, speaking to the Toclafane. 'Remove one-tenth of the population!'

The Doctor was aware that Martha was crying beside him as the calls came over the radio for the _Valiant_ to help, to stop the Toclafane. He could only listen, could offer no comfort, no assistance.

Then another voice came over the internal comm. system. 'Mr Prime Minister?'

The Master frowned and pressed a button. 'This had better be important.'

'It's the machine, sir. Someone just… someone just appeared. They've gone inside and shut the door, sir. We can't get in.'

'And who exactly are 'they'?' The Master asked dryly, stretching his hand out in front of himself and appearing to examine his nails.

'Not sure, sir. No one we recognise. They're definitely not personnel. Just a girl.'

The Master looked up at the Doctor, tilting his head to one side thoughtfully. Then he practically jumped down the stairs, crouching in front of the Doctor and grabbing his arm, yanking him to his feet. The sudden movement caused Martha to fall to the deck, dropping the vortex manipulator.

'Darling,' the Master called over his shoulder to Lucy. 'Be a lamb and take Miss Jones' little toy.'

Lucy stepped forward and grabbed the vortex manipulator, handling it carefully.

The Master stared into the Doctor's eyes. 'Someone's just appeared. Someone's just appeared and wandered into my machine. A girl.' The Doctor maintained a carefully blank expression. The Master narrowed his eyes. 'You're coming with me, I want to see this_ girl_.' He looked up at the guards surrounding them. 'Bring him. And those two,' he added, nodding at Jack and Martha.

The Doctor could feel it as they drew nearer to the TARDIS. _Not the TARDIS_, he amended, _the paradox machine_. The Master left him standing with Martha, Jack and their guards just outside the room and walked inside. He walked over to the machine, making a full circuit around it before standing in front of the door, which, contrary to the report he'd received, was standing open.

Inside, the machine shook and whirred, maintaining the paradox. The Master turned in a circle, stopping when he was facing the guards. 'You made me come all the way down here for this? Why would you do that?'

The young man looked afraid. 'She made us,' he said, nodding his head to a point over the Master's shoulder.

A young woman's voice sounded from beside the paradox machine. 'Turn around. Slowly.'

'What have we here?' he asked, turning to face the newcomer. His eyes sparked with interest as they came to rest on the girl leaning against the side of the machine. Blonde. Early twenties. Terrified but managing to mask it quite well. Holding a weapon of some kind.

'A little girl,' the Master said, apparently delighting in his role of supervillain. 'A little girl with a… hairdryer.'

The girl looked down at the object in her hands and tilted her head to the side, looking back up at the Master. 'Worth a try,' she shrugged, dropping the useless thing to the deck.

'Brave girl,' the Master commended, stepping closer to her. 'Tell me how you got up here.'

'That's close enough, thanks,' the girl said, her voice louder this time, challenging. 'Who are you?'

As her voice became more audible in the hallway, Martha felt the Doctor and Jack tense, ever so slightly. She looked up at the Doctor, concerned. His jaw was tight and his eyes unfocused, as though he were concentrating very hard on listening.

'I'm the Doctor,' the Master lied.

'No, you're not,' the girl said, something in her voice conveying absolute _certainty_.

'Of course I am. TARDIS, two hearts. I've even got the sonic screwdriver.'

'Oh, you're a Time Lord. Correct biosignature and everythin'.' She tapped what appeared to be an oversized wristwatch. 'But you're not the Doctor. You're someone else.'

The Master smirked, happy to give up the game if it was going to be this interesting. 'You sound very sure. Know him, do you?'

'Yeah, I do.' The girl paused. 'I did. I'll ask you again: Who are you?'

'I'm the Master,' the Master said, in a tone that was obviously supposed to be impressive.

'The Master?' the girl sounded as though she were trying not to laugh, and not being very successful. 'All right then, _Master_, where's the Doctor?'

The Master glared at her, then shouted over his shoulder. 'Bring them in!'

Martha was momentarily aware of change in the expression on the Doctor's face – as though he was steeling himself – before the guards shoved the three time travellers into the machine room. She stared at the girl, her own words coming back to haunt her, _Oh! So she was __**blonde**__?_

The blonde in question gave her the barest glance before her eyes slid to the side, first to Jack – slight widening of the eyes there – then to the Doctor.

'Doctor,' she said softly.

Martha looked up at her friend, concerned. The Doctor's eyes met the girl's briefly, and he nodded. Just once, almost an involuntary movement, before his eyes dropped to the deck. Behind Martha, Lucy Saxon stepped into the room.

The Master watched the interchange between the girl and the Doctor with interest, and then turned back to the girl, his tone seemingly full of genuine curiosity. 'You do know him,' he said. 'And he knows you, don't you Doctor? His mind shut down the moment he saw you. Big change for the man who's _always_ got _some_thing to say. Who _are_ you, strange little girl who appears out of nowhere and knows the Doctor?'

'Commander.' The girl said, in a distracted tone, her eyes still on the Doctor. 'What have you done to him?' she asked softly.

'Commander?' The Master questioned.

She switched her attention back to him, glaring. 'Yeah,' she said, 'Commander. Not 'little girl'. _Definitely_ a Time Lord,' she scoffed. 'No manners.'

Amused, the Master took a step towards her. 'Ah, but we don't need titles, do we? Bit formal. Bit stiff. I asked you for your name.' His voice changed during his last sentence, becoming ever so slightly threatening.

To her credit, the girl didn't look impressed by the shift in tone. 'I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours, _Master_,' she said, her voice filled with false brightness.

He smiled at her. 'I think you're very interesting, commander. Very, very interesting. Fascinating. Do you know why?'

She raised an eyebrow. 'No idea. I'm sure you're gonna tell me though.'

He continued, unperturbed. 'I think you're interesting because you,' he pointed at her, 'are quite clearly a time traveller. But not like our dear friend Martha Jones here,' he nodded towards where Martha stood, supporting the Doctor. 'You have time wrapped all around you. I can see it. I can feel it. I can almost taste it, its so strong.' He looked thoughtful. 'In fact…' he stepped forwards and took hold of the girl's arms, tilting his head as though to kiss her.

Jack stiffened. 'Rose!' the name sounded like it had been torn from him unwillingly. Martha watched as the Doctor hung his head.


	2. Chapter 2

The Master looked jubilant. 'Rose?' he stared at her a moment, his eyes sweeping over her. 'You're Rose Tyler. The girl in the TARDIS. The TARDIS in the girl.' He turned, shooting the Doctor a triumphant look as he went on. 'The big, Bad Wolf. This…' he said, whirling to face Rose once more. 'This is just _too_ perfect!'

Rose ignored him. 'I asked you a question. What did you do to him?'

The Master glanced over at the Doctor. 'That? Nothing. He's just a little bit older since you last saw him.'

'He doesn't get older,' Rose said, peering over the Master's shoulder at the Doctor, her wide eyes radiating concern.

The Master cocked his head to one side again, smirking once more. 'Oh, you know him _very_ well, don't you, Commander Rose Tyler? One might even go so far as to speculate that you know him... intimately.' Rose shrugged his hands from her arms.

Unperturbed, he went on, 'You're supposed to be trapped in a parallel universe. I heard him,' he jerked his head in the Doctor's direction, 'telling the immortal Captain Harkness all about it. Very moving story,' he mocked. 'I was touched.'

'Yeah,' Rose said, 'touched in the head's more like it. So, you're supposed to be dead and I'm supposed to be trapped on the other side of the void. But you did something stupid. Really, really stupid. You hurt the Doctor-'

'Your precious Doctor-' the Master sneered.

'I. Am. Talking!' Rose snapped. The Doctor's head jerked up, his eyes fastening on Rose. She continued in the same reasonable tone she'd been using previously. 'You hurt the Doctor, but before you did that, you hurt the TARDIS. One or the other and you might've got away with it. Just about. But not both.'

'Which are you here for then? The Time Lord or the TARDIS? Both belong to me now.'

She ignored him. 'And then you decided to kill a tenth of the people on my planet. Just because you could. Because you're the little boy who pulls the wings off flies to see what they'll do.'

'So you're here for what? Vengeance? Don't be silly.'

'I'm here because the TARDIS brought me,' Rose said, her voice quiet. The Master stared at her. 'And I'm here because I learned that names are important. Travellin' with the Doctor, you pick up titles. Hard not to, wanderin' through time and space with a man without a name.' She smiled self-deprecatingly, though it didn't reach her eyes. 'I'm Dame Rose Tyler of the Powell Estate, the Bad Wolf, Commander Tyler. And Defender of the Earth.' She glared at the Master. 'I think that's why I'm here. Because he can't stop you. So I have to.'

The Master was watching her, his head tilted to one side, his hands clasped in front of him. Then he stepped towards her. 'So much potential in you,' he said softly. 'Is that what you saw, Doctor?' he asked, looking over his shoulder. 'Is that why this one mattered so much?' He looked back to Rose. 'You're all over his TARDIS, you know,' he said in a confidential tone. 'Little human girl with a little human life and a little human name scrawled all over the last functioning TARDIS in existence.'

Rose looked up at the Doctor, just for the briefest of moments, before returning her gaze to the Master, defiance in her eyes.

But the Master hadn't missed the flicker of uncertainty. 'Oh yes,' he said, 'you matter to him, Rose Tyler. But not enough. Not nearly enough. He still left you behind. Left you trapped on a parallel world. Replaced you.' Rose kept her eyes on the Master, refusing to look away. 'I wouldn't have done that,' he said, his tone thoughtful.

Rose stared at him, her eyes wide. 'You what?'

'I wouldn't have left you behind,' he said again, taking a step towards her. 'I would never leave you behind, Rose. You're _far_ too interesting. Little commander who can break through the void.'

He was standing very close to Rose now. Martha could feel the tension radiating from the Doctor. Felt the moment he just _had_ to speak.

'Stay away from her,' the Doctor said, his voice quiet. 'You're only doing this to get to me.'

'See?' the Master said to Rose. 'He thinks you're only worthwhile as way to hurt him. Doesn't realise that this has nothing to do with him. Nothing at all.'

Rose stepped back slightly until her back was against the paradox machine. The Master continued his advance.

'Master, please!' the Doctor said, panic evident in his voice now. 'Leave her alone!'

The Master grinned. 'Gives you shivers, doesn't it?' He was standing just in front of Rose now, inches away. 'I can offer you the universe. All that,' he waved a hand airily in the direction of the sky, 'in exchange for so very little. After all,' he added, giving her a shrewd look, 'isn't that what you really came back for?'

'No,' Rose said firmly, glancing around for a way out. 'I don't want the universe.'

'Your planet, then, _Defender of the Earth_? The lives of the people on your planet?' He cocked his head to the side again. 'Oh I know! I know… what about… the Doctor's life?'

Rose's eyes snapped to his face, studying him intently. 'In exchange for what, exactly?'

The Master stepped forwards again, grinning. Then he reached for her, running his fingers down her cheek. 'I think you know what it is I want,' he said quietly. 'What I'm not afraid to _take_. What do you say, Rose? The Doctor's life, the life of all the little humans left on your planet… for so very little.'

'Just me, yeah?' Rose scoffed, half a laugh forcing it's way between her lips.

'Just you,' he confirmed. He dipped his head, pressing his lips to hers as his arm slid around her waist.

Beside Martha, Jack tried to move towards them, only to be pulled back by his guard. The Doctor flinched, as though hit.

Lucy Saxon, unnoticed and apparently abandoned, shouted, 'Harry!'

But Rose was already shoving the Master backwards. He smirked. 'You really are _fascinating_.'

'Yeah, you said.' She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and looked at Lucy. 'How can you stand it? Definitely a sandwich short of a picnic, this one.' She returned her gaze to the Master, neatly skipping over the Doctor on her way. 'Thing is… I don't need you to save them,' she nodded downwards, contriving to indicate the people on the planet below. 'I can do that myself. And you can't give me the Doctor's life, its not yours to give.'

'I can kill him,' the Master said sharply.

'You won't though, will you? Same reason you won't kill me. He's more _fascinating_ alive. Plus, for all your chat about how I'm interesting and fascinating and whatever, you don't think I'm a threat.' She pushed the Master gently but firmly, forcing him to take another step back. Martha stared, compelled. Why _was_ the lunatic letting her do this? 'Otherwise,' Rose continued, 'you would have called up your little floating-ball mates.'

'You're right,' the Master said. 'Nothing you do can threaten me, Commander Tyler. I could have you locked away like that,' he snapped his fingers.

'Course you could,' Rose said, her tone almost reassuring. 'But,' she said thoughtfully. 'I've still got this.' She bent and retrieved the instrument she'd dropped earlier.

The guards took a step towards her as she aimed it at the Master but he held out a hand. 'I have to admire your bravado, but that,' he said, pointing, 'is still a hairdryer.'

Rose looked at it thoughtfully. Then she looked up, grinning. 'Yeah, you're right. S'useless as a weapon. Never quite got the hang of weapons. But it's really _heavy_,' she said. Then she raised it over her head, turning towards the open door of the paradox machine.

She looked over her shoulder at the Master, allowing her gaze to briefly flicker over the Doctor this time. Martha saw something akin to pain flicker in her eyes for a moment, before it was replaced with the cocky assurance she'd often seen in Jack's eyes. 'Time Lords,' she said, sounding amused. 'You don't half like to make a big song and dance out of everything. Well, I learned a thing or two from him,' she nodded towards the Doctor, but didn't look up at him. Then she winked at the Master. 'Here come the drums.' She threw the hairdryer into the paradox machine.

Martha watched as it spun through the air towards the console. It was a good throw. A very good throw, she mused as it hit the central console, shattering parts of the machine and sending them flying every which way. The doors slammed shut, as everything around the machine seemed to stretch and convulse at the same time. Jack took advantage of the confusion to grab his guard's gun, knocking the man out in the process.

Rose ran forwards, ducking around the Master and heading for the Doctor and Martha as he pulled her to the ground. She reached them and threw herself down beside them. 'Hello!' she said brightly to Martha.

'Hi,' Martha said weakly.

'What happens now?' Rose asked the Doctor, raising her voice so she could be heard.

'Time's reversing!' he shouted over the din. 'Everything's going back to how it was! How did you know-'

'I didn't!'

'I thought you had a plan!' Martha said.

'Who me?' Rose shouted. 'Nah!' She dug in her pocket and retrieved something, holding it out to the Doctor. 'Here!'

With a shock, Martha recognised the Master's laser screwdriver. 'How did you-'

'Picked his pocket,' Rose said, 'when he was... Well.' She reached into her pocket again, this time withdrawing the sonic and passing it to the Doctor. She looked at him. 'Can it-'

But he was already running the sonic screwdriver over the laser one, grinning to himself when he found what he was looking for, then clicking the laser screwdriver just once, aiming it at himself, and activating it. Martha watched as his hair grew longer, turning dark remarkably quickly. Within a few seconds, the Doctor was restored. He reached out and grabbed Rose's hand, seemingly unable to tear his gaze from her.

'You think you've won?' the Master shouted, holding on to a railing near the machine. 'Think your little girlfriend has upset my plans? Time is _reversing_, Doctor,' he spat. 'Back to the moment the paradox machine activated. She'll disappear!'

The Doctor stared at Rose and Martha had never seen him look so helpless. Rose stood, pulling her hand out of the Doctor's grip and using the railings to drag herself to her feet. Then she turned, struggling towards the big blue box, one hand sliding under the collar of her t-shirt, dragging a thin chain out. She reached the machine and lifted the chain to the lock, her key glinting in the flashing lights around her.

'Rose, don't! The Doctor shouted, 'it's not safe!'

She looked over her shoulder at him, her expression terrified, before opening the door and slipping inside. Martha stared as the doors slammed closed behind her.

As the room quieted and the wind stopped, the Doctor pulled himself to his feet, extending a hand to Martha to help her up. She took it and got up, staring around the room. 'What happened?'

The Doctor was tucking both screwdrivers away safely in his inside pocket. 'Everything after the moment the paradox machine activated has… _un_-happened.'

'_You!_' the Master said, pointing at the Doctor accusingly. 'You and your stupid little human friends!'

Behind them, there was the unmistakable sound of the TARDIS doors opening. The Doctor's head snapped up, his expression unreadable until Rose appeared, stepping out of the TARDIS and smiling at him. He smiled back, his eyes blazing.

'You didn't think she was so stupid when you were kissing her.' The accusation came from behind Jack. Everyone in the room save for the Doctor and Rose turned to look at Lucy Saxon.

'Darling-' the Master began.

'Don't you _darling_ me, Harry!' she snapped. She raised a shaking hand.

Martha nudged the Doctor, who was still holding Rose's gaze. 'Doctor?'

He turned, his eyes lighting on the gun in the Master's wife's hand immediately. 'Now, Lucy,' he began, stepping forward, 'you don't want to-'

'Stay away from me!' she burst out, almost hysterical. 'You're just like him!'

'Yes,' the Master said, gleefully. 'He's exactly like me!'

'No,' Rose said, stepping forwards until she was standing beside the Master, 'no, he's not. It's Lucy, isn't it? Lucy Saxon?'

'Don't you dare speak to me! You little-'

'Careful,' Jack warned, aiming his own gun at Lucy.

'Jack!' the Doctor and Martha burst out at the same time.

'Put it down,' the Doctor ordered. Jack looked at him a moment, then lowered the weapon. 'Now you, Lucy, put it down.'

'The things I did for you!' Lucy said to the Master, ignoring the slowly advancing Doctor. 'And then you kiss her!'

'Darling, it meant nothing. She might as well have _property of the Doctor_ written across her forehead.'

'Don't lie to me, Harry! I know you! You're my husband!'

The Master rolled his eyes. 'This is just too _human_. Really, I don't have the time for this. Put the gun down, Lucy,' he ordered, his tone filled with bored superiority.

Martha saw the moment Lucy switched targets; saw the Doctor realise it, too. Lucy Saxon fired the gun, aiming it directly at Rose. And suddenly everything happened at once. Jack pushed Lucy to the ground, knocking the handgun out of her grip and pinning her to the deck. The Doctor spun, desperately trying to make it to Rose before the bullet.

And the Master turned where he was, stepping in front of Rose and pushing her to the deck.

Martha stared as the Master fell, blood staining the back of his jacket and making it stick to him. Rose rolled out of his way, but managed to catch him before he hit the deck. Then the Doctor was there, cradling the Master and staring at the other Time Lord with disbelieving eyes.

'Why did you do that?' Rose was asking. 'I could have moved!'

'I have no idea,' the Master admitted. He looked up at the Doctor. 'Its always the women.'

'Why doesn't he regenerate?' Rose asked.

The Doctor sensed her getting to her feet and stepping backwards, away from him and the Master. 'Its just a bullet,' he said to the Master, his voice tight with emotion. 'Regenerate.'

'And what? Spend the rest of my life on this planet? Locked away, poked and prodded by _humans_?' he laughed, and then coughed violently.

'No,' the Doctor said, aware that he was pleading now. 'You're coming with me. On the TARDIS. I won't leave you here.'

'Look at you, crying for me,' the Master taunted. His gaze switched to Rose suddenly. 'Fascinating. Really.'

The Doctor ignored him. 'Regenerate!'

'I refuse,' the Master said stubbornly. 'I won't spend the rest of my life imprisoned by you! Following you around the universe like I'm one of _them_!'

'But…' the Doctor said, his voice breaking. 'But its all gone. Gallifrey, the others… Please. There's only us two left now. You can't die.'

Something akin to triumph flickered in the Master's eyes. 'I win.' Then he gasped. 'The drums… Doctor, the drums… will they stop?'

The Doctor stared down at him, watching the light disappear from his eyes. He was aware of nothing else in the room at that moment. He could feel his eyes burning with tears. The Master was dead. The mix of emotions he'd felt since learning Professor Yana's true identity seemed to be crushing him, forcing themselves upon him. Fear at the return of his oldest enemy vying with relief that the face of Boe had been right. That he wasn't alone. Except that now he was. Truly the last of the Time Lords. Alone.

He felt someone take hold of his hands, moving them away from the Master's body and setting it down on the deck gently. Boots he recognised as belonging to Jack approached and the body was lifted away.

Someone was speaking, giving orders. 'Take him into the TARDIS. Keep an eye on him.' The voice was utterly familiar. The voice was Rose. But the tone wasn't, he dimly registered. The tone was Commander Tyler. Whoever she was. The Captain's boots disappeared and the hands that had pulled the Master's body from him gently tugged at his own, urging him to stand. He was aware of the back a blonde head in front of him.

'You lot,' the Master's guards looked up at that, shock the only emotion registering on their faces. 'Keep her somewhere safe. Lock her up until someone can deal with her. I'm sure Captain Harkness'll have something to say about it. He usually does.' The last sentence was delivered in a tone he recognised.

He drew in a deep breath, surprised when it hurt.

Martha appeared at his side, sliding her arm under his, supporting him even though he was perfectly capable of standing.

The blonde head turned and he could see Rose's face. She looked worried. 'Doctor?' he looked up, meeting her eyes. She looked at him a moment, as though trying to read his mind, then turned to Martha. 'Can you take the Doctor inside and send Jack out? I need to get everyone off this thing and I could do with someone who's allowed to give orders in _this_ universe.'

The Doctor felt Martha turning him. He wanted to resist. He should stay here, with Rose. Should see this through to the end. But the Master's body was in the TARDIS. He would have to see to that. No one else to do it now. No one who knew what should be done. The body would have to be burned.

He could see Rose later. When it was over. When he could feel his legs again.


	3. Chapter 3

He couldn't find Rose. It had been hours since he'd left her with Jack on the deck of the _Valiant_. He'd piloted the TARDIS back down to the planet's surface while managing not to think. Then he'd sent Martha to take care of her family for a while, to allow him to see to the Master's body.

As night had fallen he'd built the fire and watched the Master's body burn for a few moments before it became too much. He'd turned and headed back to the TARDIS, the numbness that had taken him over since the Master's death starting to wear off, leaving him feeling almost himself again.

Jack and Martha were already there, waiting for him in the console room, their expressions wary. Rose was aboard too, Jack assured him. She'd said she needed a few minutes to herself and disappeared into the depths of the TARDIS.

That had been an hour ago. He'd showered and changed his clothes, all the while feeling more and more himself. He needed to find Rose. Rose, who'd magically appeared and hadn't yet been questioned. Rose, who he'd missed so much it was almost ridiculous.

Now the Doctor was standing in the corridor outside the galley, listening to Jack and Martha talking in quiet voices over cups of coffee.

'Is he going to be all right?' Martha asked.

'Yeah,' Jack responded. 'He'll be fine. He was fine when he got back. You saw him.'

'Yeah, but-'

'He's been through all this, Martha,' Jack said softly. 'Remember? He already thought he was the last. And he's the Doctor. Coupla hours and he'll be back to himself.'

'And what about Rose? Now she's back-'

'I honestly have no idea.'

'The Master seemed very… interested in her,' Martha said.

'Hmm,' Jack said noncommittally.

There was silence for a few moments, then Martha said, 'What were they like? Before? When they were… you know?'

Jack chuckled. 'I don't think they were ever _you know_.'

'But he… I thought they were… _together_.'

'Oh yeah. Completely and totally _together_,' Jack said. 'Just not _together_, together.' He sighed. 'There's no one like the Doctor for getting in his own way.'

'I'm sure he has his reasons,' Martha defended.

The Doctor decided against going into the galley and started down the corridor, unsure where he was heading. He just wanted to find Rose.

He found her, finally, asleep on one of the library sofas. She was curled up so she'd fit on the two-seater, one of her arms flung out in front of her, dangling over the edge of the cushions. He walked towards her softly, so as not to wake her, then crouched in front of her, studying her face. She frowned in her sleep, her lips parting as mumbled words spilled out.

Abruptly, the hum of the TARDIS changed, became slightly louder in tone, as the lights dimmed further. Rose seemed to relax again.

He found himself fighting the urge to stoke her hair, and was vividly reminded of the last time he'd sought her out like this.

It had been just after they'd escaped Krop Tor. Krop Tor and its Beast. He'd found himself outside her room, looking in at her through the door he'd opened without first consulting his brain. In several quick strides he'd crossed the room and found himself standing over her, gazing down at her sleeping form with his hands stuffed into his pockets, the better to prevent inappropriate Rose-stroking.

He'd been aware that he loved her for a long time. His previous self had known it on an instinctual level, and his present incarnation seemed incapable of not responding to it. Had admitted it openly in his own head. Revelled in it, in point of fact. The manic energy, the exuberance of his tenth incarnation was due in large part to the fact that he was in love with his companion, that when he'd regenerated it had been the uppermost thought in his mind. He'd died to save Rose, and that was _fantastic_.

Then he'd nearly told _her_ and frightened himself beyond belief, which led to much running and Mickey on board the TARDIS and Madame de Pompadour. Anything to distance himself. To protect them both.

Then that had ended. He'd taken her home to see her mother, unable to comfort her in the aftermath of their trip to another Earth. And that night, as she slept in her bed in the room she'd grown up in, he'd sat on the edge of it and watched her sleep. Aware of his own desperate relief that she hadn't stayed in the parallel world. That she hadn't left him.

He'd wanted her, he knew. Physically wanted her. In a way that, while not totally alien to him, was at least unfamiliar enough to give him pause. There had been sound logic arguing against it. However, sitting here, in the quiet of the library, watching her sleep after being so sure he'd lost her... The logic he'd constructed didn't quite seem to stand up.

'Hi.'

He started out of his reverie to see her regarding him with sleepy hazel eyes. 'Hello,' he responded. 'I didn't mean to wake you up.'

'S'ok,' she said, stretching slightly. 'I was waiting for you to come back. Must've dozed off.' She yawned. 'I wanted to come and find you,' she said, 'when you were...' she trailed off. 'But Jack and Martha said to wait here. That you'd want to be alone.'

He shrugged, they'd have been right in reference to themselves. But a part of him would have selfishly relished Rose's presence at the Master's funeral pyre. Would have acknowledged that he needed her there. He said nothing, merely turned slightly and sat, leaning his back against the sofa and taking the hand that she'd left dangling over the edge.

He felt her shift behind him to get into a better handholding position.

'I like Martha,' she said presently, 'she's nice.'

He nodded and began stroking his thumb over her knuckles in an almost absent-minded gesture. He'd hoped not looking at her would ease his awareness of her, but instead it seemed that he could feel her outline as though she were a furnace burning behind him, imprinting herself on his awareness.

'I'm sorry,' she said softly. 'I'm sorry for what happened to him.'

'He took over your planet,' he reminded her. 'Had ten percent of the population killed. He was insane.'

Her fingers tightened around his, as though trying to offer comfort, to stop him hurting himself. 'I'm still sorry.'

He nodded again, his thumb resuming its circular stroking. 'So… _Commander_ Tyler?'

She laughed softly. 'Yeah. S'a Torchwood thing. Pete thought people would pay more attention if I had a rank. I don't use it much really. Although,' she added thoughtfully, 'it _is_ good for gettin' to the front of the canteen queue.'

He snorted his amusement at that, then froze as he felt the fingers of her free hand slide into his hair, massaging his scalp. That was new. His eyes fluttered closed and he sighed. After a few moments, he managed to clear his mind enough to speak again. 'So what did you get up to? At Torchwood?'

'Wasn't there long, really,' she said. 'I spent a couple of months in the house,' she murmured. He swallowed, awareness of what she hadn't said stinging him. She continued, her tone too bright. 'Then I went to Torchwood. Started work. Was only there a couple of months before suddenly I'm standing outside the TARDIS, surrounded by blokes with guns.'

'About that…'

'No idea,' she said. 'Thought you'd be the one to answer that.'

'No idea,' he repeated cheerfully. It occurred to him that this was possibly not the best response. Not when she'd been dragged across the void. He cleared his throat. 'Could have been something to do with the TARDIS… maybe when you took on the time vortex something was left behind, or was changed or-'

'You really have no idea, do you?' Rose asked, sounding amused.

'Sorry. Are you… staying?' he asked, impressed by his ability to sound nonchalant about it.

'I thought… yeah.' She paused. 'Shouldn't I be?' she asked, suddenly fearful.

'No, no, its not… I'm not… It's just...' he turned slightly, so he could meet her eyes. The movement unfortunately dislodged her hand and once that had happened he felt he might as well go the whole hog and turned to face her completely, sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of her. 'I can't cut through the void again, Rose. Not even to send a message.'

'I know.'

'What about your family? Jackie-'

'It's ok.'

'But…' he began, unsure how he wanted to finish his questioning. Unsure why he wanted to.

'I tried to come back,' she said softly, her eyes studying his face. 'The whole time I was at Torchwood. Tried so hard to find a way to get back here.'

He blew out a breath. 'Why?'

'You know why,' she said softly. She took a deep breath. 'Look, is this about Martha?'

'Martha?' he asked, genuinely surprised. 'Why would this be about Martha?'

'You an' her...'

'No,' he said, surprising even himself with the speed of his objection. Rose's eyes were focusing on a point over his left shoulder. As though the depths of the library held something hugely interesting. Well… they did, obviously, they were the depths of _his_ library, after all. All the same, that couldn't be why she would rather look at the shelving than at him.

'It's just…' she said, 'you never said anythin'. When I said… what I said. I don't expect-'

This was really too much, he thought. He'd thought he'd been pretty obvious. Didn't she _know_? How could she _not_ know? He felt like the need for her radiated off him, like it was written all over him. Like his thoughts and feelings on the subject were exposed. Especially in this incarnation. Apparent to anyone who looked. _How could she not know?_ 'Rose.'

'He said I mattered,' she said quietly, as though afraid to remind him of what had taken place on the _Valiant_.

He nodded, then realised she couldn't see it if she wasn't looking at him. 'Yes.'

'And now, Doctor?'

'Nothing's changed since I saw you on that beach,' he said, surprised at the rough quality of his own voice.

She looked up at him then, her expression the one of exasperation he'd seen her wear so many times. 'You said _Rose Tyler_ and then you disappeared!'

'Exactly. And that wasn't my fault, by the way. The disappearing.'

She rolled her eyes. 'What does that even mean?'

'I ran out of energy to send the projection,' he said.

She narrowed her eyes this time, but at least she was smiling. 'Don't be thick. What does _exactly_ mean?'

'Marked by strict and particular and complete accordance with fact,' he said, feeling almost giddy with the lightness the banter with her was granting him.

'Doctor!'

The sound of his name, spoken by her, in a way he'd never thought he'd hear again, caught him unawares. He stared at her for a moment, his gaze flicking from her eyes to her mouth and back up again. It was something he'd done without conscious thought several times a day at one point. Something he'd never even noticed he did; never even thought about what was going on when it happened. Until she was gone.

Just as he was sure she was going to call him on it, he stood and tugged her to her feet so she was standing in front of him. Then he leaned forwards and brushed his lips against hers. Gently. Carefully.

She remained utterly still against him for what felt like an eternity, then he felt her hands skate up his sides, pulling on the lapels of his jacket until his body was flush against hers. They broke apart after several moments, regarding one another seriously in the dim light of the library.

The Doctor leaned his forehead against hers. 'He kissed you,' he said, as though it had only just occurred to him.

'You wanna talk about this now?'

He looked at her a moment, feeling her breath mingling with his own. 'I should have done something.'

'You couldn't. You were all old, remember?'

He glared at her, aware on some level that the fact that he had one hand spanning the small of her back and the other tangled in her hair, and that this might not be the best way to be intimidating. His expression softened. 'You always find me, just when I need you. How do you do that?'

She looked up at him, dumbstruck for a moment. 'I…' she stared, then appeared to abandon whatever answer she'd had planned. 'I'm sure you had a plan.'

He smiled. 'Course I did. I'm brilliant. _But_… it would have taken months, maybe years. What you did-' He broke off as he realised her fingers were in his hair again, her nails scraping lightly over his scalp, rendering the discussion of his plan entirely unimportant. Rose was here. In the TARDIS. With him. And apparently the time without her had either weakened his defences against her or had made him more susceptible than previously. He'd kissed her.

He opened his eyes, briefly wondering just when he'd closed them. Rose was looking at him with an odd mixture of concern and amusement dancing in her eyes. He kissed her again, running his tongue over her lower lip until she opened her mouth under his.


	4. Chapter 4

_Author's Note: Firstly, thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed and favourited - especially Mejhiren _, _your lovely review got me through an especially cheerless day at work! _

_Quick warning about this chapter: the Doctor and Rose spend some time in a bedroom environment. Nothing too explicit, but they are wearing considerably less clothes than they would be were they, say, in a roomful of Daleks, for example._

_

* * *

_

When they broke apart this time the Doctor was gratified to see Rose was breathing heavily, her eyes dark. Then she pushed at the lapels of his jacket, sliding it down his shoulders and to the floor. He'd not even realised the buttons were undone. He raised his eyebrows at her.

Her expression clouded and she stepped back from him. Unfortunately she was still standing right up against the sofa and ended up falling onto it, still looking up at him anxiously.

He held her gaze for a moment, reaching up to undo the knot on his tie but leaving it hanging loose in his collar. Then he held out his right hand to her, maintaining eye contact as she took it and allowed him to pull her up from the sofa, so she was standing pressed against him.

He stood for a moment, watching her intently. She stared back up at him, her gaze flicking from right to left in an attempt to examine both his eyes. The part of his brain processing her efforts was tiny. Infinitesimal. A far greater portion was given the task of bringing his desire back under control. The physical urge to take her, to possess her, was far too strong.

It would probably be easier, he mused, if he hadn't pulled her up against himself quite so tightly. If he could stop looking at her for just a few moments. Had they been in the console room he could have thrown himself with kinetic abandon into showing off around the console. Flinging himself around just to make her laugh. One of his favourite pastimes, that. One of his favourite 'avoid-kissing-Rose-at-all-costs' tactics.

'I can hear your brain ticking, Doctor.' She spoke softly, but startled him nonetheless. Rose looked amused. 'Forget I was here?'

He shook his head, keeping his expression deadly serious. 'Quite the opposite, actually. Trying to remember why we weren't always doing this. And my brain doesn't _tick_.'

Rose cocked her head to one side and raised an eyebrow. 'Curse of the Time Lords? Somethin' about humans withering-'

'I need you,' he murmured, shocking her into silence. She stared up at him, seemingly unable to speak. 'I need you and I've missed you and I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Rose, that I didn't say all of this before.' He wanted to look away from her, to fidget, to distract, to run. But he couldn't. Couldn't take his eyes off her. His Rose. He owed her the truth.

'I just... I thought we had time,' he said quietly.

She stepped back, distancing herself from him.

'Rose?'

'You're not thinking straight,' she said softly. 'You've been through a lot. Its ok, Doctor.'

He sighed. 'I'm not saying this because I've been through a lot. That wasn't a lot. Not for me. You know that.'

'Your... Friend died.'

He gave a short laugh. 'He wasn't my friend. Hasn't been for longer than I care to think, to be honest. Probably my greatest enemy, aside from the Daleks and at least they're only doing what they were created to do.' He stilled. 'But he saved your life and you can't... You can't imagine how much I wish I could pay him back for that. If I'd lost you again...' He trailed off, looking down at his feet.

He cleared his throat. 'I'm sorry he's dead. He was a Time Lord, like me, and no one wants to be on their own. To be the last. And yes, a long time ago - such a long time ago - we were friends. And I -' it suddenly became difficult to follow that line of thought, so he stopped, fixing her with an intense gaze.

'You said you loved me,' he said.

'Yeah.'

'And now?' He prompted, echoing her earlier question.

She watched him carefully for a moment. 'I was at Bad Wolf Bay,' she said, her voice low. 'When I disappeared, I was at Bad Wolf Bay. I lied, before. I was there for two years after I saw you. Stuck in a parallel world for two years. Worked at Torchwood just so I could try to find a way to get back to you. Drove my mum mad, that did. A whole torchwood team trying to find a way to find a way to send me through the void. And every six months I went back to Norway. Trying to find my way back,' she paused, looking up at him. 'To you.'

He felt relief flood through him and was aware that he was watching her hungrily, as though trying to forcibly imprint her image on his memory. So he'd always remember her like this. In his TARDIS, telling him she loved him. And that she wouldn't wait for him.

No. Rose Tyler would never be content to just _wait_ for him. She'd do anything to get back to him. Trips to Norway? No problem. Command a Torchwood team with the express remit of trying to cross universes? Done. Become host to the time vortex? Easy.

He remembered how furious he'd been with her, when she'd reappeared at Canary Wharf. Furious and ridiculously, selfishly happy. Amazed. He'd wanted to kiss her then, to pull her against him and kiss her until she was breathless. Unfortunately the combination of millions of daleks and cybermen and the impending doom of the human race was a very effective mood-killer.

She reached out, laying her hand flat against his chest, between his hearts. He felt them speed up slightly in response.

Rose must have noticed too because she gave him a lopsided smile. 'Lucky there's no Dalek here to bang on about _your_ heart rate, Doctor.'

He bit the inside of his cheek, trying not to smile back as he recognised the reference. _The female's heart rate has increased._ She slid her hand up over his chest, taking hold of the end of his tie and tugging it free from his collar. He brought his own hands up to work on the buttons of her blouse.

'Not here.'

He glanced up at her eyes, stilling his hands on her blouse. 'Right. Course not.' He straightened up, endeavouring to look every inch the dignified Time Lord once more. 'Where?'

She grinned at him, holding her tongue between her teeth in a gesture he hadn't seen in far too long. 'Somewhere with a door?' She suggested. 'That locks? Jack's on board, you know.'

He looked put out for a moment at the idea that Jack might wander in. Then took her hand. 'Come on.'

'Your jacket-'

'Leave it. I don't need it just now. Believe it or not, jackets are not uppermost in my mind.'

He led her out into the corridor and away from the console room, listening all the while for Jack or Martha.

\/\/

They'd not gone too far from the library when the Doctor turned abruptly, pulling a door open and walking inside. 'S'more like it,' he sniffed.

Rose had let go of his hand and was looking around the room with interest. It looked a lot like the console room, except with more soft furnishings. The walls glimmered in the sourceless pale gold light the room was filled with. She reached out and laid a hand against the wall nearest her, smiling to herself when she felt the wall grow slightly warmer beneath her hand.

'Rose.'

She turned to see the Doctor standing in the centre of the room, watching her with a slight smile on his face.

'Doctor?'

Wordlessly, he held out a hand to her, needing her to come to him. She smiled at him and then she was in his arms, her own twining around his neck. He held her for a moment, well aware that he had what was probably the stupidest grin imaginable on his face.

All too soon, Rose stepped back from him. She didn't look up at him, instead her hands drifted down the sleeves of his shirt, where she unbuttoned first one cuff, then the other. Keeping her gaze on her hands, she reached up at undid the buttons at his collar. He stopped her when she was partway down his shirtfront and reached up, pulling the shirt over his head.

She smiled, reaching up and running her fingers through his hair, teasing the strands back into something approaching order. He moaned, his eyes fluttering closed.

'Always thought you'd like that,' Rose said dryly.

He dropped his shirt to the deck and opened his eyes, fixing his gaze on the buttons of her blouse once more. He raised his eyebrows as Rose moved her own hands and began to undo the buttons herself. He reached out and stopped her, replacing her fingers with his own and watching with acute pleasure as she shivered every time he brushed against her skin.

He slid the garment down her arms and trailed his fingers back up to her shoulders, allowing one hand to drift to the back of her neck as he moved closer, tilting her head back so he could kiss her. He felt her fingers catch at his t-shirt, pulling it free from the waistband of his trousers. Then she slid her fingers underneath the material and up over his stomach, smiling against his lips when she felt the muscle there twitch under her fingers.

He turned, spinning her with him until the backs of her legs were pressed against the bed, then he stepped forwards slightly, knocking her down so she was seated in front of him. He knelt in front of her, sliding his hands up under her jeans, unzipping the boots she wore and sliding them off her feet, dropping each to the deck in turn. Then he turned his attention to his own footwear, red converses, to go with the blue suit. He found himself wondering whether Rose liked the blue suit and almost asked her aloud, amusing himself with his ability to concentrate on minutiae while his body and mind felt like they were burning.

When he looked up, Rose was still watching him. In one quick movement he stood, watching as her eyes swept over him appreciatively. She held out her hand to him. When he took it she tugged slightly as she lay down on the bed, pulling him down with her.

He supported his weight on his elbows, dipping his head to suck and bite at her neck. 'Rose,' he murmured against her. He felt her hum in response. 'We're still a bit…' he broke off as she ran her nails down his back, arching her hips up into his. 'Dressed,' he managed finally. 'We're still a bit dressed.'

'I missed you. You took forever to get your shoes off,' she said, sounding slightly breathless.

'It was less than twenty seconds,' he protested, then gasped as she reached between them and lowered the zip on his trousers, the confined space forcing her to brush quite firmly against him.

Realising he couldn't very well rectify their state of attire while laying full-length on top of Rose, he got to his feet, shoving his trousers downwards and off into the pile of clothing on the deck. On the bed Rose had wriggled out of her jeans and was now looking up at him expectantly. He climbed back onto the bed, pushing her down and settling himself between her thighs, pressing a trail of kisses upwards from her sternum to her throat.

The Doctor moaned and sagged against her as she ran her hand over him, quite deliberately this time. Then he lifted his face from her neck, so close to her now that he could lean his forehead against hers while he fought to control himself. He was mildly surprised to find it wasn't just the immediate physical need for her he was fighting. He felt like he was drowning in fear. He found himself scanning her eyes searchingly.

'Doctor?' she breathed, making a question of his name.

'Don't leave me,' he murmured, the order escaping before he could stop them. He swallowed past a suddenly desiccated throat. 'Ever again.'

Rose nodded, her eyes wide and suspiciously bright. She reached up to where one of his hands was tangled in her hair, freeing it and sliding her fingers into the gaps between his.

'I need you,' he murmured, knowing he was repeating himself. 'I _want_ you.'

'Please,' she whispered, pushing up against him in a way that he was sure made his eyes roll back in his head. Then she tilted her head back and kissed him, her tongue drawing his own into play, the heat of the kiss compelling him to move.


	5. Chapter 5

The Doctor was breathing heavily, Rose was pleased to see, his face slightly flushed from exertion. He looked up and caught her watching, then leaned down to kiss her.

He pulled back, still supporting his weight on his elbows, and smiled at Rose. She smiled back, knowing that they must look completely daft, laying here grinning at each other.

"I'm so glad I met you," he murmured. Her smile widened in recognition of what he'd said. "I'm so glad you came back," he continued, dropping a kiss to her forehead before rolling off her, landing heavily on the mattress beside her. She turned onto her side so she was facing him.

He raised a hand to her face, brushing a stray lock of hair back behind her ear. He still looked sad, she thought. He hadn't looked like this before. Not often. Not when he knew she was looking, at any rate.

"I missed you," she whispered, her voice slightly hoarse.

He nodded. "I thought you'd be-"

"Having a fantastic life?" she asked.

He nodded again. "I think it was you," he said softly, apparently apropos of nothing in particular. She raised an eyebrow at him questioningly. "On Satellite 5, I think you brought yourself back here. Or created the way back."

"That's what you're thinking about?" she asked, teasingly.

He smirked. "It's not _all _I'm thinking about." When she continued her pretence of being offended, he went on, "I was just… you know… enjoying the moment," she ducked her head, grinning, "and I started thinking about how this was happening which led me to how you got here and why and… it was a very small part of my enormous Time Lord brain thinking about all that, anyway."

"But, Satellite 5 was _years_ ago," she said.

"You said you could see everything," he reminded her. "For a very short space of time, you were everywhere, everywhen. Omnipotent." He ran a hand through his hair, turning onto his back. "This would be _so_ much easier to explain in my own language. We had all the proper tenses for a life lived in four plus dimensions, you know." He lapsed into silence, looking up at the ceiling as though it could help.

She pressed herself against his side, running a hand up his body to settle on his chest. "I understand," she said quietly.

He looked down at her, quirking an eyebrow, "Yeah?"

She smiled. "Yeah. Just wish I could have brought myself back sooner, is all. Or not gone at all, really."

"Me too," he said softly.

She yawned. "Sorry, m'tired."

"Lift up," he ordered. When she complied he pushed the quilt down until he could pull it up over them. Then he turned her so she was facing away from him and pulled her back against his front.

She sighed and snuggled back against him.

"You keep that up and you're not getting _any_ sleep, Miss Tyler," he growled into her ear.

She giggled and did it again, spoiling the effect only slightly by yawning again.

"_Sleep_," he murmured against the back of her neck. "Plenty of time for that later."

"Will you be here when I wake up?" she asked sleepily.

"Ah… probably not," he admitted. "Have to go and work on the TARDIS. Should probably check on Martha and Jack, too."

"Ok," she said.

"I'll try," he said, unwilling to have her wake up alone.

"Doctor, really, it's ok. I'll come and find you."

He kissed the back of her neck, sensing she was already half asleep. "You always do."

He lay in silence for a few moments, unconsciously counting her heartbeats under his palm. Then something occurred to him. "Rose," he whispered into the darkness, hating himself for waking her.

Her response was, as expected, sleepy. "Mm?"

"You knew he wasn't me," he said.

"Yeah."

"But you knew he was a Time Lord," he let the half-question hang in the air, knowing she'd catch it.

"Mm," she said, nodding slightly.

He took a deep breath. "How?"

"I've got a wrist computer. Told me he had two hearts. You're the only one I know with two hearts. You're a Time Lord."

He was impressed at this much speech from her, then ashamed that he'd woken her enough to allow it. "Lots of species have a binary cardiovascular system, Rose."

"He had the TARDIS..." she pointed out. He got the distinct impression that he was amusing her.

He blamed the sulkiness of his next sentence on the feeling of being laughed at. "I s'pose. Still doesn't explain how you know he wasn't me though."

"I'd know you anywhere," she murmured, sounding sleepy once again.

"Rose-" he began.

She cut him off. "I mean it, Doctor. I get this... Feeling. Just here." She covered his hand where it rested on her sternum. "Like something's pulling."

He was silent, considering this. He knew the feeling she meant. It was the same feeling that catapulted him towards her so often. That made him draw her into his arms. The feeling that only seemed to be assuaged by confirming her presence through physical contact.

She was speaking again. "Didn't get it when I saw him, so I knew he wasn't you. Any version of you. S'that all right?" He nodded. "Can I sleep now?"

He immediately felt guilty and tried to cover it by teasing her. "Yes. Yes. Course. Sorry. Poor little human."

"Shut up. If you start on about your superior biology I might not let you demonstrate it again."

And now he was blushing in the dark, he knew, a daft grin plastered across his face.

Apparently using the eyes in the back of her head to watch him, Rose said. "Stop smiling, I'm serious."

"Sorry." He leaned forwards, dropping a kiss to the back of her neck.

"Mm," she said, sounding uncertain about his apology. Then, "S'nice." Presumably in reference to the kiss.

He climbed out of the bed and dressed quietly. As he reached for the door handle, he heard Rose call to him again. "Yes?"

"Did he always hear them?" she sounded as though she was asleep, he mused. Properly asleep, this time.

"Who?" he asked anyway.

"Koschei."

He froze, staring at her for a moment, but her eyes were closed. "Who?" he asked again, certain he'd misheard.

"The Master, did he always hear drums?"

"Where did you hear that name, Rose?" he insisted.

"He tol' me," she slurred.

He studied her a moment more, then said, "Yes. Yes he did. His whole life." When she didn't appear to be about to respond, he turned and left the room, his brain racing a mile a minute

It took him two hours to complete the repairs the TARDIS needed to be Earthbound for. He was aware that he wanted to back to Rose, but tamped down on the feeling, knowing that she needed sleep and wouldn't get it if he couldn't leave her alone. Instead, he made his way back into the ship, towards the galley and tea. And possibly some kind of snack. Sugary, if he had any say in the matter.

He paused outside the entrance to the galley, once again hearing voices inside. Martha and Jack, apparently discussing himself and Rose again. Despite knowing that eavesdroppers rarely heard good things of themselves, he leaned against the wall a moment, listening.

Jack was speaking. "Before she… got trapped, when we used to travel together, Rose was, well she was fantastic. Really _got _him and the entire running and the adventure and the absolute crazy mess. She would never have left him, not voluntarily."

"Jack," Martha cut in, sounding tired. "I've spent the last year with him going on about how brilliant she was – _is_ - I don't need-"

"He can't help it, Martha," Jack said softly. "I never even saw this version of him when he was with Rose - not before today – but I can imagine what it was like. Even when we were at the end of the universe I could see it. It's written all over him."

"He loves her," Martha said, matter-of-factly.

"I'm sorry," Jack said, sounding sympathetic.

"Don't be. It's good. I'm glad he's got her back. I'm glad she saved us. I like her." She paused, before continuing. "What was all that, with the Master?"

"No idea," Jack said honestly. The Doctor could picture him leaning back in his chair, exhaling loudly.

"Does Rose have special pheromones that attract Time Lords or something? Martha joked, laughing. Jack chuckled too, glad the mood was broken.

"Nope," the Doctor said, walking into the room and watching Martha jump out of the corner of his eye. Jack didn't even have the good grace to look embarrassed. "Thought about that myself but that's not it," he continued. "Hello."

"Hey," Jack said, lifting his coffee cup in greeting. "You could do with better coffee around here."

"Hi," Martha said, embarrassment that he'd heard her comment making her unable to meet his eyes.

The Doctor busied himself making tea and opening each of the kitchen cupboards in turn. Then turned and sat at the small table with them. "Personally," he mused, "I think he liked her because he wanted to study her time traces. To use them."

"Time traces?" Martha asked

"Yep. Everyone's got them, of course. Some," he indicated himself and Jack, who saluted, "are more complex than most. Yours, for instance, are more complex than, say, your sister's, because you're a time traveller."

"And Rose's are really complicated?" she asked, genuinely interested.

"No. Rose's are very simple. And weird."

Martha looked confused. "But you said mine were complex because I'm a time traveller..."

"And Rose travelled with me too, making her also a time traveller," he finished. "Exactly. S'why they're weird. Hers are bright, too. Very bright. Very strong. And very, very simple."

"And you never noticed this before?" Jack asked, sounding slightly worried about Rose.

The Doctor shifted slightly, dropping his gaze to his tea. "I… uh… can't see them very clearly. Her timeline's all tangled up with that Bad Wolf stuff which makes it hard for me to see. Plus, my own timeline seems to be..." he trailed off. "I'm surprised I can sense anything at all. You're supposed to be sleeping."

Martha looked puzzled for a moment, then glanced up and saw Rose walking into the kitchen.

"Couldn't sleep," she said. "Thought I'd come and have something to eat. Didn't realise there was a meeting going on." She flashed Jack a smile before turning to the cupboards.

"There aren't any biscuits," the Doctor warned. "I checked."

Rose turned and raised an eyebrow at him. Then she opened a cupboard, extracting a tin and putting it on the table. The Doctor opened it to reveal biscuits of several varieties. He glared at them.

"The TARDIS hides them from him," Rose told Martha in a confidential tone. "Hides all sugary stuff actually."

The Doctor looked put out. "I'm a Time Lord, not some sticky human child. Sugar doesn't effect me like that."

"Best not to take the risk, I reckon," Martha said, stifling a laugh as she watched Rose swipe the biscuit tin from the Doctor and replace it with – "Is that marmalade?"

The Doctor smiled and stuck his fingers in the jar and extracted them, sticking them both in his mouth.


	6. Chapter 6

'Here we are' the Doctor said, pulling himself to his feet. 'Cardiff!'

Rose helped Martha up from where she'd fallen during the bumpy landing and the two women shared an amused look.

The Doctor, completely oblivious, stroked a hand along the console. 'She could do with refuelling, didn't get to fill her up properly last time, what with…' he trailed off slightly, looking at Jack, who smirked. He cleared his throat. 'Anyway, shouldn't be too long, then we're off!' he grinned at them.

Rose rolled her eyes. 'I'm goin' shopping,' she said firmly.

'Shopping?' the Doctor asked, a frown crossing his face as he turned to the console screen. 'What for?'

'Clothes. Make up. You know… girl stuff. Might have escaped your notice, Doctor, but I didn't exactly turn up here with a backpack.'

'There's still stuff in your room,' the Doctor threw over his shoulder, keeping his eyes on the readout.

Jack and Martha saw Rose's surprised look before she covered it. 'Yeah, but its all what? A year old? More? No thanks! Martha, d'you wanna come? See a bit of Cardiff?'

Martha looked momentarily surprised, then smiled graciously. 'Definitely! He never lets me go shopping!'

'Oi! I took you to that market!' the Doctor said, affronted. 'That time… you remember the market, Martha?'

'And…?'

'_And_ we had a nice time!' the Doctor said, sounding defensive.

'Before…'

'Before I was arrested,' the Doctor muttered.

Rose laughed and headed for the doors. 'Jack?' she offered.

'Much as I'd love to watch you two trying on outfits…' Jack began.

'Stop it,' the Doctor warned.

'I think I'll sit this one out, ladies,' Jack said, grinning.

As the doors closed behind Martha and Rose, the Doctor looked up from the screen finally, looking at the doors with a carefully blank expression.

'Uh… Doctor?' Jack began.

The Doctor looked at him, grinning suddenly as the air of barely stilled energy returned from wherever he'd stashed it for those few moments as he avoided watching Rose leave the TARDIS. 'Hmm?'

'She'll be ok, you know,' Jack began, then cursed himself as the Doctor's face shut down. 'I mean… you should have seen her, on the _Valiant_.'

The Doctor hit a few keys on the console then straightened. 'Right! That's that sorted. I could murder a cup of tea!' he said, looking up at Jack. 'Fancy a walk?'

\/\/

They'd found a café, far enough from Torchwood that it was unlikely any of Jack's team would turn up and start asking questions. The Doctor was drinking tea, although he'd pulled a face at the taste of it at first.

'You know who makes good tea? I mean a _really_ good cuppa?' Jack shook his head. 'Jackie Tyler. Its got to be the only real skill the woman has. Making tea like a pro. That and screeching. She couldn't half screech, Jack. Shame you didn't meet her. I'd have liked to have seen _that_.'

'I did meet her.' Jack said.

'What?'

'I met her,' Jack said, sipping his coffee. 'I told you,' he said, watching the Doctor's confused expression. 'I went back to Rose's estate a coupla times in the nineties. Bumped into her mother one day.'

'Jack…' the Doctor began warningly, his amusement at the thought of Jack and Jackie meeting fading fast.

'I just said hi!' Jack protested.

'That's all you need,' the Doctor said. 'Come to think of it that's pretty much all _she_ needs.'

'You know you wouldn't want Rose to hear you talking about her mother like that.'

The Doctor sobered slightly, peering down into his tea. Jack waited. 'She'll never see her again, Jack.'

'She knows,' Jack said. He sighed. 'She told me what happened at Canary Wharf, how you tried to send her away.' He watched the Doctor gulp down tea. 'How she came back.'

The Doctor nodded. 'She always does. I wouldn't have been able to do it without her, actually.'

'Better with two?' Jack said, smiling slightly as he remembered something Rose used to say, back when they all travelled together.

The Doctor nodded. 'If she'd fallen into the void… if Pete hadn't caught her…'

'He did and she didn't,' Jack said reasonably. 'People look out for Rose, Doctor, you know that. And now, she can pretty much look out for herself.'

The Doctor looked up, amused. 'She always could. Well… aside from managing to find more trouble than anyone I've ever met… you included,' he added.

Jack shook his head. 'That's not what I mean.'

'Then what?'

'_Commander_ Tyler,' Jack said, meaningfully.

'Oh… that? That's just a title.'

'I'm not so sure,' Jack said. 'You didn't see her on the _Valiant_, after you left. She was… she was damned good, Doctor. Whipped them all into line in the name of a Torchwood that doesn't technically exist in this universe anymore. Not like I would have done it. The way you do it. She's learned a lot from you.' He looked out of the window, feigning indifference to the Doctor's intense gaze. 'There's times I could have used someone like Rose here. She's got the heart and the head for the work.' He looked back at the Doctor now, catching his friend's eyes. 'She thinks you won't like it.'

'What? Her staying on Earth?'

Jack laughed derisively. 'She'd never do that. Oh no! She thinks you won't like that she can do that. Can take charge of the military guys and bend them to her will,' he said, raising his eyebrows dramatically.

'What do you think?' the Doctor asked.

'I think you're proud of her.'

The Doctor smiled and sipped his tea.

\/\/

Rose and Martha found the Doctor and Jack leaning against a railing, not far from the TARDIS. Martha approached and leaned next to the Doctor on the railing. Rose walked back to the TARDIS, stowing her purchases away inside before joining them.

'Rose!' Jack greeted happily. 'Glad you two got back before I left.'

'You're leavin'?' Rose asked.

'I keep thinking of that team of mine. Responsibility,' he said, with a nod to the Doctor.

The Time Lord stepped forwards, extending a hand to Jack. 'Defender of the Earth,' he said. 'Can't argue with that.'

'But-' Rose began.

The Doctor, rather than shake Jack's hand, had grabbed his wrist and was running his sonic screwdriver over the Captain's vortex manipulator.

'I _told_ you-' he said, 'no teleport!'

'And what about Rose's?'

'Well… yes. But I can't have you walking around with a time-travelling teleport. You could go anywhere – twice. The second time to apologise.'

Jack grinned and winked at Martha. Then he became serious. 'And what about me? Can you fix that? Will I ever be able to die?'

Martha felt Rose stiffen beside her and smiled at her gently.

'Nothing I can do,' the Doctor said. 'You're an impossible thing, Jack.'

'I've been called that before,' Jack grinned.

'Jack…' Rose said, stepping forwards. 'I'm sorry, I didn't-'

Jack kissed her forehead. 'Now, now Rosie. You got nothin' to be sorry for sweetheart.'

She smiled up at him and flung her arms around him, hugging him tightly. After a moment she released him and stepped back, coming to lean on the railings beside Martha and the Doctor.

Jack threw them a sloppy salute. 'Sir, Ma'am, Commander,' he added grinning cheekily at Rose. He turned as though to leave, then turned back, a thought apparently occurring to him. 'But I keep wondering…what about aging? 'Cos I can't die but I keep getting older. The odd little grey hair, you know? What happens if I live for a million years?'

The Doctor regarded him for a moment. 'I really don't know,' he admitted.

Jack chuckled self-deprecatingly. 'Ok, vanity. Sorry. Yeah, can't help it. Used to be a poster boy when I was a kid back on the Boeshane Peninsula. Tiny little place. I was the first one ever to be signed up for the Time Agency. They were so proud of me. They Face of Boe they called me.

The Doctor felt Martha and Rose straighten slightly on either side of him, a sign their thoughts had followed the same path as his own.

Seeming not to notice, Jack went on, 'Hmm, I'll see you.' He turned and jogged across Roald Dahl Plass, leaving the three of them staring after him.

Martha was the first to speak. 'Can't be.'

'No,' the Doctor said, sounding as though he was trying to convince himself. 'No, definitely not. No.' Martha giggled uncertainly. 'No,' the Doctor said, more firmly this time.

'Why not?' Rose asked, her eyes still on Jack's retreating back.

They stared at her.

\/\/

As Martha entered the TARDIS the Doctor leapt out of the jumpseat, almost bouncing around the console to meet her.

'Off we go! The open road! There is a burst of star fire right now over the coast of Meta Sigmafolio. Oh, the sky is like oil on water. Fancy a look? Or…back in time. We could…I don't know, Charles II? Henry VIII? I know! What about Agatha Christie? I'd love to meet Agatha Christie! I bet she's brilliant!' Martha still hadn't moved, still hadn't responded. He settled, knowing what was coming. 'Okay.'

'Where's Rose?' Martha asked.

'Wardrobe room,' he said. 'Reckons her old clothes are no good so she's picking out new ones.'

Martha nodded. 'They need me,' she said, her tone almost apologetic.

This was horrible, the Doctor thought. She shouldn't be apologising to him. Shouldn't be apologising for not staying. For anything, really. He smiled gently at her. 'Of course they do. You're brilliant.' He stepped forwards and hugged her.

'I am!' she laughed, stepping back. Her expression sobered. 'You gonna be ok?'

'Always. Yeah.'

Martha turned towards the doors, but hesitated and turned back to him, apparently having more to say. ''Cos the thing is, it's like my friend Vicky, she lived with this bloke, student housing, there were five of them, all packed in, and this bloke was called Sean. And she loved him, she did. She completely adored him. Spent all day long talking about him.'

The Doctor allowed his puzzlement to show on his face. 'Is this going anywhere?'

'Yes!' Martha said, scandalised. ''Cos he never looked at her twice. I mean, he liked her, but that was it. And she wasted years pining after him, years of her life, 'cause while he was around, she never looked at anyone else.' The Doctor swallowed as she went on. 'And I told her, I always said to her, time and time again, I said: Get out. So this is me, getting out.' She reached into her pocket and withdrew her mobile phone. 'Keep that,' she ordered, throwing it to him. ''Cos I'm not having you disappear. _Either_ of you. If that rings, _when_ that rings, you better come running. Got it?'

He smiled softly. 'Got it.'

'Take care of her,' Martha warned, pointing at him. He nodded. 'And I'll see you again, mister.'

As Martha closed the door behind her the Doctor turned to the console, sending the TARDIS into the vortex. He felt soft pressure on his arm and looked up. Rose was standing next to him, watching him intently.

'You ok?' she asked.

He smiled. 'Course.'

She sent him a look, silently telling him she didn't believe him. 'I'm sorry. About Martha. She didn't have to-'

'Yes,' he interrupted. 'She did.' He looked back up at the console and Rose retreated to the jumpseat.

'She had feelings for you.' A statement. Not a question.

He shifted, uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was taking. He remembered the Master's words. The tone of disdain. _This is just too __**human**_**. **But this was Rose. 'She left because I didn't – because I couldn't – return them.'

'I know,' Rose said.

He looked at her over his shoulder. They watched one another for several long moments, neither wanting to break the moment. Then the Doctor asked, 'Where to?'

'Can you take me home?' she asked quietly. 'I just wanna…'

'Of course,' he said quickly. 'Powell Estate, here we come.'

\/\/

When they landed he followed her to the doors, letting her exit first. He hung back as she walked a few steps away from the TARDIS and watched as she looked around the estate.

She raised a hand to her mouth and he started forward, placing a hand on her shoulder and gently turning her around, pulling her into his arms.

'I'm ok,' she insisted, even as he felt her fingers twist into the fabric of his jacket. She stepped back, running a hand over her eyes. 'Is it…?'

He understood. She wanted to see her mother's flat. The place she'd grown up in. 'It's still there. Empty. You can go in.'

She nodded and turned, heading for the stairwell. When he made to follow her, she turned back to him. 'I'll only be a minute. You don't have to come.'

He knew what she was getting at, but was unwilling to let her out of his sight again. 'Oh I don't mind.'

'Really, Doctor. I think I just need to do this on my own, you know?'

He looked at her for a minute, his eyes tracking over her face. Then nodded, accepting defeat. 'Ok… well… I'll just. I'll just be in the TARDIS. If you need me for anything or… anything.'

She smiled at him. 'Be right back.'

He watched her go, aware that he wanted to drag her back into the TARDIS with him, to at least insist that she allow him to go with her. When she was out of sight he turned and walked back into the TARDIS, hands shoved in his pockets, shoulders slumped, well aware that he was the very picture of a dejected lover.

He busied himself for five minutes, checking the TARDIS systems, assessing the extent of work he had ahead of him before the TARDIS would be fully time-and-space worthy again. He had so many places he wanted to go with Rose, he should really get started now to make sure they could visit them as soon as possible.

'Right,' he said aloud. 'That's enough time.' He turned and headed back out of the TARDIS, pulling his coat on as he went.

Half an hour later, Rose left her mother's old flat. Closing the door behind her. The Doctor was leaning against the railings on the balcony outside, looking out over the estate. 'I thought you were waiting in the TARDIS?' she asked.

He turned, a mildly guilty expression on his face. It disappeared as soon as he saw her. She'd been crying. More than a bit. 'Rose… are you ok?'

She nodded, trying to smile at him, but the movement dislodged more tears and he pulled her into his arms, holding her body securely against his. She wrapped her own arms around him, burying her face in his chest as he pressed his lips to her hair.

'Rose? Rose Tyler!' the voice came from further along the balcony and Rose lifted her head to see who it belonged to.

'Oh, Bev,' she said, trying to inject some enthusiasm into her voice. 'Hi.' She turned to face the Doctor again as the woman approached. 'One of mum's friends. Be _nice_.'

'I'm always nice,' the Doctor hissed back, grateful for the break in the tension. 'As long as she doesn't kiss me or hug me or try to – Hi!' he said, grinning as the woman came within hearing distance.

'Rose Tyler! Where the hell have you been? And where's that mother of yours? We heard-'

'It's all right, Bev,' Rose said, easily overriding the older woman. 'We're both fine.' She seemed at a loss to explain their absence and her own sudden reappearance.

'Jackie met someone,' the Doctor said quickly. 'A man.' Rose found his hand and squeezed, silently thanking him.

'She met someone and just left?' Bev asked sharply. 'Just like that?'

'You know mum,' Rose said. 'He sort of… swept her off her feet.'

'Hmm,' Bev said, apparently placated. 'This your fella then? The one you keep disappearing off with?'

'Uh…' Rose began.

'Yes,' the Doctor said. 'I am. Hello!' he gave a little wave with his free hand.

Rose grinned up at him, leaning into his side. He smiled back down at her, his fingers tightening around her own.

'Jacks always said he was a bit of a looker,' Bev said, grinning conspiratorially at Rose. 'Are you going to take over the flat?' she asked doubtfully, casting an eye over the Doctor's suit.

The Doctor waited for Rose to respond, suddenly unsure of what she was going to say. Would she want to stay here? Did she even want to come back to the TARDIS?

'No,' Rose said, tightening her grip on his hand as though she'd felt his doubt. 'Just came to pack the place up really. Then we're off.'

'Travelling again?' Bev asked, cocking her head to one side. 'Your mum always said you had itchy feet.' Rose smiled and nodded. 'Well, I've got to get down the shops before they close,' Bev said. She gave Rose a stern look. 'You get your mum to call me when she gets a minute. If she can tear herself away from this new bloke!' she winked at Rose and walked past them, heading for the stairwell.

Rose and the Doctor stood where they were for a few seconds, looking over the balcony. The Doctor watched Bev totter away on heels that were ridiculously high for a trip to the shops. 'You don't have to go, you know,' he said after a while. 'You could-'

'What?' Rose asked, looking up at him. 'Stay here?'

'Well…'

'Do you want me to? Stay here, I mean.'

He considered telling her he wanted her to do whatever would make her happy. Thought about asking her what _she_ wanted to do, forcing her to make the choice with no input from him. But he'd done that, hadn't he? At Canary Wharf. Sent her away, even. Made the choice for her. And she'd come back. She always came back to him. For him.

And he needed her. He knew he did. It was terrifying and amazing and crippling and probably the most brilliant thing ever. All at once.

She was still waiting for him to answer. 'No,' he said, the word coming out strangely quiet. He cleared his throat, keeping his eyes on the dubious vista the Powell estate offered. 'No, Rose. I don't want you to stay here. I want you to come with me. In the TARDIS.' He looked down at her now, 'You know, if you'd like.'

She smiled, properly this time. None of the mouth-only smile she'd been giving Bev. 'I'd love to.'

\/\/

Hours later, Rose heard him wander into the console room, but didn't move from where she was; just kept staring out of the open doors, looking down at Earth from orbit. 'Why do you keep goin' back?' she asked quietly.

The Doctor looked up at her, taking the sight of her in. She was standing barefoot in the TARDIS doorway, looking out at the Earth. She seemed… pensive, he decided. Not quite sad, but getting there. He'd been preparing for the next step in putting the TARDIS back together and hadn't noticed the shift in her mood. 'What d'you mean?' he asked.

'To Earth. Why do you keep goin' back when there's nothing to keep you there?'

It had hit her, he thought. The realisation that her mother was no longer there to bind her to the planet she was born on. Nothing tangible to hold her here. To make her return. He moved until he was standing behind her, just close enough that she could feel him there. Rose sighed quietly and settled back into his arms.

'Lots of reasons, I s'pose. I like it,' he said. 'Brilliant planet, loads of history, _extremely_ jeopardy friendly-' he felt her chuckle at that. '_And…_ one of my favourite species originated there.'

'Bananas?'

'Humans, Rose,' he said. 'Bananas aren't from Earth.' He pressed a kiss to the side of her head before continuing, 'Also, you might have noticed we look a lot alike-'

'You and bananas?' she said, allowing the teasing quality of her voice to become more apparent.

'Me and humans,' he responded. She could practically see him rolling his eyes at her. 'So I can blend in.'

She turned her head to look up at him. 'You? Blend in? Don't make me laugh.'

'Well...' he said, considering. 'As much as is possible for a man of my dashing good looks and powerful intellect…'

'Not to mention your modesty.' She took hold of his hands where they rested at her waist and threaded her fingers through his. 'There's no one left there,' she said quietly. 'Mum, Mickey… they're gone. I'm an orphan,' she added, a nervous giggle escaping her at the notion.

'It'll always be your home, Rose,' he said softly. She turned to face him and his breath caught in his throat. He stared at her where she stood, framed by the open TARDIS doors, flanked by the Earth. 'We'll come back,' he managed finally. 'Often.'

'So you can visit?' she asked, smiling up at him teasingly.

'Yep,' he said, happy to break the sombre mood if she was. 'Got to keep an eye on it. I won it, you know.'

'Oh yeah?'

'Yeah,' he responded, 'in a sword fight.' He winked, making her giggle. She stretched up to kiss him, pressing herself against him as she did so and smiling against his mouth when he groaned.

Then she stepped back. 'I'm going to get a cuppa. Want one?'

'I can think of better things to do just now,' he murmured.

'Like fixin' the TARDIS?' she asked, feigning innocence.

He narrowed his eyes at her. 'Course. What were _you_ thinking about?' She grinned in response and stepped back from him slightly. 'Close the doors, I need to lower the shields.' He walked back up the ramp and shut down the TARDIS' external shielding devices. When he turned, Rose was standing with her back against the now closed doors, looking up at him.

He walked back down to her. 'If you had other ideas…' he murmured, dipping his head so he could kiss her.

Suddenly the TARDIS jolted to the side, the doors slamming shut. He spun, looking up at the console. Smoke and sparks poured into the console room and alarms began to sound.

He turned back to Rose, looking puzzled for a moment as his eyes met hers. Then he took her shoulder and pushed her to the side slightly, so she was hidden behind a strut.

'Stay there,' he said, 'this isn't right.' Then he turned on his heel and headed to the console, frantically flipping switches to stop the noise and commotion.

Rose started as she realised there was another man up there, his actions mirroring those of the Doctor's. They bumped into one another, apologising automatically before each continued their circuit of the console. She watched them both come back around until they were standing toe to toe, staring at one another.

'_What?_'


	7. Chapter 7

_Author's Note: Ok... last chapter of the first bit in this series. I'm thinking I'll continue this through series 4, but probably not in order. Definitely not, as I've already gotten part of my obligatory End of Time rewrite... rewritten. Not sure what to do after that so if anyone has any preferences I'd be very glad to hear them! Also, I've (quite obviously) borrowed a lot of the Time Crash script for this one- just wanted to make sure everyone was forewarned._

_Oh - and as always - a massive thank you to everyone who's read, reviewed and favourited this! :-) xx All are love.  
_

* * *

'Who are you?' the older looking man demanded, managing to inject each syllable with the impression that the Doctor had no right to be anybody.

The Doctor, of course, wasn't listening. 'Oh, brilliant. I mean, totally wrong, big emergency, the universe goes bang in five minutes, but… _brilliant_.' He was grinning, Rose knew. She could tell from his tone of voice.

'I'm the Doctor,' the other man said, his words making something click into place in Rose's head. She'd known. Known since she saw him exactly who he was. 'Who are you?'

The present Doctor – her Doctor – seemed to be enjoying himself far too much to give a proper answer. Finally the other Doctor seemed to have had enough. 'Is there something wrong with you?'

Immediately, her Doctor was off on a wild appreciation of the other Doctor's appearance. When he actually tugged at the other man's jacket, Rose bit back a smirk at the other man's expression of mild outrage.

'But never mind that,' the Doctor said, stepping back and giving his counterpart an admiring look. 'Look at you! The hat, the coat, the cricket-cricket stuff, the stick of celery… yeah.' He trailed off contemplatively.

Rose raked her eyes over the other Doctor quickly. She was _so_ going to tease him about this. It would be merciless, unrelenting. It would last for weeks. The other man had a stalk of celery pinned to his lapel.

The Doctor seemed to be considering what an odd accessory it was, too. 'Brave choice, celery. But fair play to you, not a lot of men can carry off a decorative vegetable.'

Rose had always harboured a sneaking suspicion that her first Doctor wouldn't have appreciated the gob he developed when he regenerated. It seemed that instant annoyance stretched further back. 'Shut up,' the other Doctor said, reaching up and removing his hat. 'There is something very wrong with my TARDIS and I've got to do something about it very, very quickly,' he said, his tone earnest. 'And it would help, it really _would_ help, if there wasn't some skinny _idiot_ ranting in my face about every single thing that happens to be in front of him!'

Rose had to reach up and cover her mouth at that point to prevent a laugh escaping. The Doctor obviously wanted her hidden from his other self and the laugh she felt bubbling up inside her would have called attention to her position immediately.

The Time Lord in question had followed his previous self back over to the console and was joyfully inspecting the other man's head. 'Sorry, sorry, it's not something you see every day, is it, the back of your own head,' he paused. 'Mind you, I can see why you wear a hat. I don't want to seem vain, but could you keep that on?'

Rose rolled her eyes at this and wondered if the Doctor had ever been the direct cause of one of his own regenerations. The past Doctor, however, was luckily more concerned with the TARDIS. Apparently it hadn't always looked like this. Rose wondered at that. She'd always been rather attached to the mix of mechanic and organic that made up the TARDIS interior.

'It's worse than the leopard skin,' the other Doctor said haughtily, shoving reading glasses onto his face and peering at the console.

The Doctor seemed inordinately pleased at this, bounding back a few steps and regarding the other Doctor gleefully. 'Oh, and out they come, the brainy specs! You don't even need them, you just think they make you look a bit clever.'

_Got you_, Rose thought. She'd _always_ known he didn't need those glasses. An alarm began to sound and Rose's attention went to her Doctor, watching his body language as the other Doctor moved around the console towards the monitor. Her Doctor merely strolled around after him, apparently unconcerned, and perched on the console.

'It's like two TARDISes have _merged_. But there's definitely only one TARDIS present. It's like two time zones at war in the heart of the TARDIS. That's a paradox. Could blow a hole in the space-time continuum the size of . . . ' The Doctor shoved the monitor towards his counterpart. 'Well, actually, the exact size of _Belgium_. That's a bit undramatic, isn't it? Belgium?'

Rose did giggle then, unable to prevent it. That was the Doctor, always trying to make a drama out of a crisis.

Her Doctor reached into his pocket and withdrew the sonic screwdriver, holding it out to his previous self, who merely ignored him. 'Need this?' The other Doctor replied in the negative, barely glancing up from the console. Rose watched as her Doctor spun the screwdriver in the air before tucking it away in his inside pocket. 'Oh, no, you mostly went hands-free, didn't you? Like, "Hey, I'm the Doctor, I can save the universe using a kettle and some string. And look at me, I'm wearing a vegetable."'

Behind her strut, Rose shook her head. He'd definitely be lucky if he didn't regenerate himself, she thought.

The other Doctor was staring into her Doctor's eyes now, his gaze tracking over the other Time Lord's face, seeking something recognisable. 'You're… oh, no.'

He was grinning again. Rose knew without having to see him. 'Here it comes. Yeah, yeah, I am.'

'A fan.'

'Yeah.' There was what Rose had heard referred to as the delayed drop while her Doctor heard what the other had said. 'What?' He stalked around the console after his counterpart, looking every inch the sulking Time Lord. 'What do you mean, a _fan_? I'm not just a fan, I'm you.'

'Okay, you're my _biggest_ fan,' the other Doctor said, obviously attempting to console the Doctor even though he was clearly exasperated. 'Look, it's perfectly understandable. I go zooming around space and time, saving planets, fighting monsters, and being, well, let's face it, pretty sort of marvellous.' Rose watched her Doctor nod, clearly pleased, and rolled her eyes. 'And naturally, now and then people notice me. Start up their little groups. That L.I.N.D.A. lot. Are you one of them?'

When the Doctor didn't respond, his counterpart continued. 'How did you get in here?' he demanded. 'Can't have you lot knowing where I live.' He moved away from her Doctor, back to the console.

'Listen to me. I'm you,' the Doctor said, following him and sounding very put out. 'I'm you with a new face. Check out this bone structure, Doctor, 'cos one day you're gonna be shaving it.'

A deep bell sounded from within the TARDIS. Rose looked up automatically, half expecting to see it swinging overhead. Her Doctor rushed to the console and started flicking switches and pressing buttons frantically.

His counterpart took up station opposite. 'In less than a minute, we're going to detonate a black hole strong enough to swallow the entire universe!'

Rose's eyes snapped to the back of her Doctor's head. Black holes were not good, she knew. Black holes were bad.

Instead of panicking, however, her Doctor sounded mildly sheepish. 'Yeah, that's my fault, actually. I was rebuilding the TARDIS, forgot to put the shields back up. Your TARDIS and my TARDIS - well, the same TARDIS actually, different points in its own time stream - collided, and oops, there you go, end of the universe, butterfingers. But don't worry, I know exactly how this all works out. Watch!' Rose stared at him, always amazed at the Doctor's ability to babble in a crisis.

He was running around the console now, speaking at a rate of knots and working the controls like a madman. His counterpart could only stare.

'You'll blow up the TARDIS!' he said, finally grabbing hold of the Doctor's wrists to stop him.

'Only way out!'

'Who told you that?' the other demanded, staring at the Doctor as he ripped his hands free.

'You told me that!' he said, bringing a hand down onto the console.

Suddenly, Rose was pressed against the doors. Everything distorted for a moment, leaving her ears ringing. Then the room seemed to come back into focus.

'…cancels out implosion,' the Doctor was saying.

His counterpart looked like he was in a state of shock. 'Matter remains constant.'

'Brilliant,' the Doctor said, sounding slightly smug.

The other Doctor sounded less than impressed. 'Far _too _brilliant. I've never met anyone else who could fly the TARDIS like that.'

Her Doctor sniffed dismissively. 'Sorry, mate, you still haven't.'

The other Doctor followed him around the console. 'You didn't have time to work all that out,' he insisted. 'Even I couldn't do it!'

'I didn't work it out,' the Doctor said, his tone more serious now. 'I didn't have to.'

The other Doctor stared at him, realisation dawning. 'You remembered.'

'Because you _will_ remember.'

'You remembered being me, watching you doing that. You only knew what to do because . . ._ I_ saw you do it.'

'Wibbly wobbly…' her Doctor began.

'Timey wimey!' they both said at the same time. Rose giggled again, it seemed the Doctor had a ridiculous streak whichever incarnation he was in. The Doctor lifted his hand to high-five his previous self, but met nothing but air. The other man was staring past him, directly at Rose.

'Hello,' he said.

The Doctor turned slowly. 'Ah,' he said to his former self. 'You shouldn't… you really shouldn't-'

The other Doctor ignored him, stepping past him towards Rose. 'I have the damndest feeling I know you. I do, of course, you'd hardly be on the TARDIS if I didn't. But you seem familiar to me, this me, as though...' He shook his head as though trying to clear it. He turned and looked over his shoulder at the present Doctor. 'All over her… can you see?'

The Doctor nodded, his stern expression forbidding any further comment. The other Doctor turned back to Rose. She looked to her Doctor for help, but he was looking at his counterpart's back.

'You can't speak to her,' he said quietly.

'What's your name?' the other Doctor asked, ignoring him.

'I'm Rose,' she said, receiving an exasperated look from her Doctor in response.

'You can't tell him... _me_... That! Not yet!'

'Oh, I'll forget,' the other Doctor said dismissively, waving a hand at his future self. 'You know I will.' He smiled at Rose, keen eyes making her feel as though he could see straight into her head. 'Erase you so I can be fresh when I meet you.' He paused, his smile fading. 'Though I'll be sorry to do it.'

Against all reason, the Doctor glared at his former self. He sighed and beckoned to Rose, who went and stood at his side, the other Doctor turning to follow her movements.

A chime sounded from within the TARDIS and the Doctor sprang to life, dashing over to the console. 'Time's up! Sorry, Doctor, back to long ago.' He paused and looked up at his former self, who was still staring at Rose. 'Where are you now?' he asked, attempting to get his attention. 'Nyssa and Tegan? Cybermen and Mara and Time Lords with funny hats and the Master? Oh, he just showed up again, same as ever.'

That startled the other Doctor, who looked up at his counterpart. 'Oh no. Really? Does he still have that _rubbish_ beard?'

'No,' the Doctor said, coming back around the console to Rose again. 'No beard this time. Well…' he considered, 'a wife.'

Rose snorted her amusement at that, causing the other Doctor to look back at her. As the other Doctor began to disappear, Rose called out, 'Doctor!'

Her Doctor leaned forwards and hit a switch on the console, causing the other to solidify again. He looked at them expectantly.

'You have to ask me twice!' Rose said, and felt her Doctor tense beside her. She stepped forwards, picking up the other Doctor's hat from the console and handing it to him.

'I'm sorry?' the other asked, clearly having no idea what she was talking about.

'Rose…' her Doctor said, laying a restraining hand on her shoulder.

Rose shook him off, ignoring him. 'When you meet me,' she said. 'You have to ask me to come with you twice.'

'I don't normally ask twice,' the Doctor's former self said, his gaze wandering first over Rose, then over the Doctor.

Behind Rose, the Doctor sighed. He stepped forwards and took Rose's hand. 'You will,' he said fervently.

The other Doctor regarded them for a moment, his face wearing a measuring look he still used quite often. 'Indeed.'

'You know,' the present Doctor said. 'I loved being you. Back when I first started, at the very beginning, I was always trying to be old and grumpy and important, like you do when you're young.' Rose smirked at that. 'Shut up,' the Doctor said, managing to aim his words at her without looking at her. 'And then I was you! And it was all dashing about and playing cricket and my voice going all squeaky when I shouted. I still do that! The voice thing, I got that from you! Oh,' The other Doctor watched Rose roll her eyes as his future self put his foot up on the console so he could show his footwear off. 'And the trainers. And . . .' the Doctor slipped a hand into his pocket and withdrew his glasses, sliding them on. 'Snap!'

The other Doctor smiled. 'I rather think I'll love being you, too,' he said, his gaze flickering from the Doctor to Rose and back again. The Doctor grinned in response.

Rose stepped forwards and stood on tiptoe to kiss the other Doctor on the cheek. To her amazement, he blushed.

'Yes well,' he said, looking rather pleased. 'To days to come,' he said, raising his hat as Rose stepped back to the Doctor's side.

'All my love to long ago,' the Doctor said, sincerely.

As the other Doctor faded Rose took the Doctor's hand, squeezing his fingers slightly. He leaned away from her, flicking a switch on the console.

'Shields up,' he said in answer to her questioning look.

She nodded and let go of his hand, moving to the jumpseat. 'Thought you needed them down to fix the TARDIS.'

He didn't answer, merely walked around the console until he was standing in front of her. He leaned against the console, crossing his arms over his chest and watching her intently.

'You're staring at me,' she said, shifting uncomfortably where she sat.

'That was a very dangerous thing you just did, Rose,' he said, the corners of his mouth quirked up in a smile.

Rose smiled back. 'Had to make sure you would. I never worked out why you did… ask me twice I mean.'

He uncrossed his arms and pushed away from the console, moving until he was standing just in front of her. He reached up, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. 'Rose Tyler,' he said softly, pressing a kiss to her forehead. 'I'd have asked you as many times as it took to get you to come with me.' He tilted her head back slightly and kissed her, thrusting his fingers into her hair as her mouth opened beneath his.

When the kiss ended, the Doctor stood back, taking Rose's hand and tugging on it, pulling her down from the jumpseat.

As he led her away from the console room, Rose found the breath to ask, 'What about the TARDIS?'

'Oh…' he said, stopping in front of her. He turned, grinning. 'She'll be all right for an hour or two, don't you think?' Rose blushed and looked down at her feet. The Doctor nodded and started to walk again.

'Doctor-' Rose asked, tugging on his hand.

'Yes, Rose?' he said, sounding more than a little exasperated as he turned to face her.

'What did he… what did _you_ mean?'

He smiled at her correction. 'When?'

'You said something was all over me…' she said, looking down at their joined hands as though searching for what he'd said was there.

The Doctor stood back from her, his eyes sweeping over her body. He reached into his pocket and withdrew his glasses, shoving them onto his face as he ran his eyes over her again and again.

'Doctor?' Rose asked when it became clear he wasn't about to speak. 'What is it? Is it… somethin' bad? Void stuff?'

He met her eyes finally. 'It's time, Rose. All over you, wound around you, through you. Time.'

'Time,' she asked.

He nodded. 'Yep!'

'Is it dangerous?' Rose asked hesitantly.

'D'you think we'd be standing here chatting if it was?' the Doctor asked, smirking slightly. He shoved his hands in his pockets, rocking back on his heels and looking at her from beneath the strands of hair that had fallen over his forehead.

Rose stared at him a moment, suddenly hit with the realisation that this was it. Him and her. In the TARDIS, for as long as possible. And he was standing there, grinning at her now, like he'd known this would happen all along. Like he'd never had any doubt.

Although, if she looked carefully, she could see the ghost of the man who'd appeared to her at Bad Wolf Bay, the man who'd held the Master as he died. The man who had screamed as she fell towards the void.

She stepped forwards, raising both hands and laying them against his chest, feeling his hearts pick up as she pushed him gently backwards until his back met the wall. She stood on tiptoe, allowing his body to support hers as she ghosted her lips over his. 'I've got a question,' she said.

He rolled his eyes, 'Another one? Might have to do something to curb that enquiring mind of yours, Rose Tyler.' The words were meant to be scathing, she knew, but the husky, shaken tone to his voice made it impossible for them to be.

She smirked against his lips, sliding a hand up and running her nails lightly through the hair at the nape of his neck. 'Would this've happened? If I hadn't… gotten lost?'

He watched her for a moment, considered pretending he didn't know what she was talking about, but quickly gave up on that idea. 'Yes,' he said softly, tugging his hands from his pockets and allowing one of them to drift to the small of her back, pressing her closer. 'This was always going to happen. Let's face it, the moment I saw you swinging over my head on that chain banging on about your bronze gymnastics medal…' he trailed off, grinning. 'Well… never stood a chance, did I?'

She blushed. She actually blushed. The woman who had pressed him against the wall of his own TARDIS, who was practically holding him captive with her body, _blushed_.

'You really have no idea of the effect you have on me, do you?' he asked quietly.

'Show me,' she said.

* * *

_Author's End Note: As I said above, this will be continued. Next up is Master and Commander: Returning (.net/s/6683822/1/)_


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